How to Move a Desk

Whether you work from home, have endless hours of homework, or just like having a place to sit and pay the bills – your desk is something that’s hard to leave behind when you move. Because desks come in all shapes and sizes, moving them out of the old house and into the new can be pretty tricky. Especially when it comes to fitting them through the door! Let’s look at some steps to make it a little easier.

Move a Desk in 9 Simple Steps

Start by measuring your doorway and the desk. Will it fit through the door without taking the desk apart or removing the door frame? If it won’t, you may have to put your tools to work. If it will, continue on with preparing it for the move.

Your first step is to remove the bulky, heavy items from drawers to reduce the desk’s weight. These items can be packed inside boxes and labeled “desk contents,” so you know exactly where they go when it comes time to unload.

If the desk has removable trays, glass, or shelves, detach them, wrap them in packing paper or bubble wrap, and pack them in a box (you may need a screwdriver or other common tools to remove these parts). Be sure to keep screws or fasteners in a plastic baggie labeled “Desk” so everything stays together.

It’s time to pack the desk. Secure the drawers by wrapping the area around the drawers with stretch wrap – this will keep the drawers from sliding out while it’s being moved. It’s important to avoid using tape, as the adhesive can damage the finish. Plastic stretch wrap sticks to itself and not the desk, so it’s perfect for protecting the finish.

Once the drawers are secured, it’s time to wrap the desk to protect the finish. Use paper padding to wrap the entire desk, and tape it down as you go. Make sure to focus on corners or other places that may need extra protection. Again, avoid applying tape directly to the desk surface.

When it comes time to load the desk into the moving trailer or container, keep in mind that most solid wood desks are extremely heavy and even the press-board types can be difficult to carry. Make sure to get extra help if you need it. In some cases, a forearm forklift comes in very handy!

When you place the desk inside the trailer or container, it’s good to load it along a wall so it can be easily secured with straps or rope.

The last (and most important) step is to secure the desk. You can do this using rope or ratchet straps. This will help protect it from moving around during transit.

If your desk is sturdy, you can load lightweight boxes or other things on top of it, just be sure to secure everything as you load.

If your desk is just one of many things that need to be packed and loaded into the moving truck, U-Pack offers some other GREAT resources to help get you through the process.

We would love to see pictures of your packed and loaded desk! Email them to us at moving@upack.com and we’ll feature your skills on the blog. If you have more specific questions about how to move a desk, or if we can answer any other questions, please let me know! And thanks for stopping by the U-Pack Blog!